Escape boat for submarines



J. J. BESSIRE ESCAPE BOAT FOR SUBMARINES May 16, 1944.

Filed Oct. 14, 1940 4 Shee'Es-Sheet 1 37MJW faxy JBea s/k'e,

y 4- J. .J. BESSIRE ESCAPE BOAT FOR SUBMARINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. 14, 1940 Gum M43- May 16, 1944.

J. J. BESSIRE ESCAPE BOAT FOR SUBMARINES Filed Oct. 14, 1940 4'Sheets-Sheet s fiaw J Bess/re,

May 1-6, 1944. J BESSIRE 2,348,777

ESCAPE BOAT FOR SUBMARINES Filed Oct- 14, 1940 4 Sheets-Sheet 4:

Patented May 16, 1944 ESCAPE. BOAT FOR SUBMARINES Jean-Jacques Bessire, Imperia, Italy; vested in the Alien Property Custodian Application October 14, 1940, Serial No. 361,134 In Italy June 22, 1940 3 Claims. (Cl. 11416.7)

This invention relate sto escape boats to be carried by submarines, and enabling simultaneous escape of many men from a submerged submarine.

An object of the present invention is the.

mounting of one or more escape boats upon the exterior of the submarine by securing and guiding means which include an escape hatch or hatches extending from the submarine into the interior of each escape boat. Each escape boat is constructed to prevent ingress of water therein and is secured upon the submarine hatch by interfitting tapering members arranged to seal against water leakage into either boat and per- .mit ready transfer of men, provisions, etc. from one boat to another through the escape hatch while both boats are submerged.

A further object of this invention is the provision of one or more escape boats on a submarine, each of sufficient size to carry a number of men along with provisions, navigating instruments, etc. adapted to be detached form the submarine at will without the submarine or escape boats shipping water.

Another object of this invention is the arrangement of interacting frusto-conical means on a submarine and escape boat carried thereby through which men and provisions may be transferred from one boat to another and by which the escape boat may be positioned upon the submarine.

A preferred embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawings wherein Fig. 1 is the side elevation of an escape boat of this invention, mounted upon a submarine, with parts broken away and shown in section.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view through the lower portion of an escape boat with the hatch cover in position to exclude water.

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a detail horizontal section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken substantially on the line 55 of Fig. 7.

Figs. 6 and '7 are vertical sections through the escape boat taken substantially on the lines 66 and 11 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged vertical section through the escape hatch when the escape boat is positioned thereover with sealing covers withholding water from either boat.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 but with the sealing cover carried by the escape boat removed and means substituted therefor to hold the escape boat upon the submarine.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the outer wall of the submarine and 2 an escape boat according to this invention adapted to be secured upon or released from the submarine at will. The submarine carries one or more escape openings or hatches 9, which are herein shown as hollow frusto-conical members secured at their bases upon the submarine. Each escape hatch 9 has an outer frusto-conical surface convergent from the submarine between the submarine wall I and a threaded portion at its upper extremity, while the inner wall of each escape hatch 9 is formed adjacent its upper extremity with a frusto-conical surface divergent from the submarine substantially as shown in Figs. 6, 1 and 9. A reversed bell-shaped cover l0 fits into the divergent portion of the hatch 9 so as to seal the hatch against leakage of water at times when the escape boat is not positioned around the hatch (note Figs. 1 and 9). A handle l0 midway of the lower portion of the cover Ill enables positioning of such cover within the divergent portion of the hatch, or pushing of such cover II] from the hatch into the interior of the boat.

The bottom wall of the escape boat 2 is formed with a well ll, having conical sides, shaped and dimensioned to fit snugly over the convergent outer surface of the hatch 9. The conical well II is flanged at its lower and upper edges for strengthening purposes, and spaced radial ribs extend between such flanges for additional reinforcement, and also to provide anchorage for pivoting securing bolts It, IS presently to be described. (Figs. 8 and 9.) When the escape boat 2 is detached from a submarine its conical well I l is hermetically sealed by the cover l2 extending over the top of the well and provided with a flanged lower portion cooperating with the upper flange of the well II for securing purposes, substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 8. Such cooperating flanges are provided with radial slots I4 and I5 respectively (note Fig. 8) adjacent their peripheries, and the securing bolts It, i 6 are pivotally mounted at their lower extremities so as to be swung into the alined slots in such flanges. Wing nuts IT, IT may then be turned down to seal the opening against water leakage, suitable gaskets being arranged between the flanges. After the escape boat 2 has been positioned upon the hatch 9 of the submarine, the cover I2 is removed, and placed inside the escape boat, the securing bolts l6, l6 being swung substantially'to the positions shown in Fig. 9. Thereupon a threaded ring I3 is turned upon the threads at the upper portion of the hatch 9, into engagement with the upper flange of the conical well ll (note Figs. 1 and 9). Further turning movement of such ring [3 will then force the escape boat downwardly over the conical hatch 9, to firmly position the conical well H thereon. Radial handles may be provided on the periphery of the ring l3 to enable ready rotation of the ring.

To firmly secure the escape boat 2 upon the submarine l, a plurality of grappling bolts 6, 6',

are employed in cooperation with loops 1, 'l' fixed upon the exterior of the submarine. As best shown in Figs. 1 to 4, these grappling bolts 6 are first turned so that their lower portions are longitudinal of the escape boat and the escape boat is manipulated to bring such grappling bolts between a pair of spaced loops 1, 1. The grappling bolts are then swung at right angles to their former positions by means of wings 4 at the upper extremities of the shanks 8 of the grappling bolts (note Fig. 3), to bring the lower portion 6 of the bolts within the spaced loops 1, 1 (note Figs. 3 and 4). Clamping nuts 3 are then turned upon the threaded shanks 8 of the grappling bolts into engagement with surrounding sleeves 5 fixed to the lower wall of the escape boat, substantially as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Turning of nut 3 in the proper direction will first tend to pull the lower portion 6, 6 of the grappling bolts into engagement with the spaced loops 1 on the submarine and then will tend to force the two boats toward each other until firm securing of the escape boat has been effected.

To enable ready positioning of an escape boat 2 upon the submarine hatch 9, a set of guide rack bars 20, 2!! are provided upon the submarine for cooperating with pinions l9, [9' carried by the escape boat 2 at opposite ends of the horizontal shafts l3, l8 (note Fig. 5). As herein shown, four rack bars 2d, 28' are arranged in a quadrangle about the hatch 9, the rack portions of such guide bars being inwardly disposed adjacent outer flanges serving to guide the pinions i9, i9 and prevent shifting of the escape boat relatively to the submarine. Simultaneous rotation of the pinions l9, l9 whenever desired is obtained by operating the crank 26, mounted within the escape boat and fixed on the shaft of a sprocket 26. A similar sprocket, 23, is mounted at the extremity of the shaft 21 arranged longitudinally of the escape boat and carrying worm gears 22, 22 in position to mesh with worm pin,- ions 2i, 2! on the shafts 58, I8 that carry at their extremities the pinions i9, IS. A chain 25 connects the sprockets 23 and 24.

In use, the escape boat is positioned upon the submarine, when it is surfaced and docked adjacent a crane or the like. The escape boat 2 is then swung into position above the submarine with its pinions l9, l9 engaging the rack bars 29, 29'. The escape boat is then lowered with the racks and pinions intermeshing until the conical well i l snugly fits upon the conical hatch 9 ol' the submarine. The hoisting chains are then detached from the escape boat and the grappling bolts 5, ii swung into position to engage loops 1, l and the wheel nuts 3, 3 turned to clamp the escape boat firmly within the-loops 1,1. The sealing cover i2 of the well I I is then removed and the locking ring l3 substituted therefor, the cover l2 being deposited within the escape boat for use when the escape boat is again detached from the submarine.

Detachment of the escape boat 2 from the submarine can take place while both boats are submerged, under distress conditions, or to enable clandestine transfer of troops, provisions or the like from the submarine. To detach the escape boat the cover I0 is first pushed upwardly from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 9 to remove it from the divergent portion of the inner surface of the hatch. Men and material may then be passed through the hatch opening from the submarine to the escape boat. When the desired number of men or amount of material has been thus transferred, the cover I0 is replaced within the divergent portion of the hatch opening, the locking ring 13 removed and the sealing cover l2 substituted therefor, the bolts l6, l6 being swung into locking position within the escape boat and turned to substantially the position shown in Fig. 8. The grappling bolts 6, 6 are then swung to release them from the loops '1, i and finally the crank 26 is rotated in the proper direction to simultaneously turn the pinions I9, 99' to elevate the escape boat within the guide rack bars 20, 20'. The buoyancy of the escape boat tends to facilitate its elevation and when the pinions l9, I9 disengage from the guide rack bars, the escape boat will quickly surface. Meanwhile the cover ID will prevent ingress of water into the submarine through the hatch 9 and the sealing cover l2 will prevent water leakage into the escape boat.

It will be apparent that the escape boat 2 may have various shapes and dimensions, and that an escape boat intended to enable escape of the crew from a stricken submarine might be considerably smaller than an escape boat intended for clandestine transfer of men and material from the submarine to shore or surface boats.

What I claim is:

l. A submarine formed with an escape opening having an outstanding annular wall surrounding the same, the lower portion of the outer surface of the wall being inwardly convergent from the submarine, the upper portion of the inner surface of the wall being divergent from the submarine, an escape boat having an entrance opening defined by an annular flange arranged at an angle to cooperate with and sealingly wedge with the said outer convergent wall surface, and a closure for the submarine escape openingoperable from within the submarine to sealingly wedge with the said divergent wall surface.

2. A construction as defined in claim 1, wherein channeled guide members extend from the submarine at the respective corners of a quadrangle within which the wall of the escape opening is located, guide-cooperating elements carried by the escape boat, the guide members and elements being formed for positively feeding the elements longitudinally of the guide members during operation of the elements, and means within the escape boat for simultaneously and similarly opgrating the elements relative to'the guide memers.

3. A construction as defined in claim 1-, including a cover to overlie the end of the wall of the escape opening and prevent full withdrawal movement of the closure for the escape opening, and means operable from. within the escape boat to removably secure the cover in place. 1

JEAN-JACQUES BESSIRE'. 

